When I first published Day Trips From Calgary in 1995, it was hard to get a decent cup of coffee in most Alberta towns, let alone a muffin or sandwich that hadn’t been wrapped in plastic hours earlier.

My, how things have changed. Nearly every self-respecting town or small city now boasts a craft brewery and coffee roaster. In the past year or two, you can add craft bakeries that rival anything the big cities can produce, well except for Edmonton’s ethereal Duchess Bake Shop and maybe Sidewalk Citizen Bakery in Calgary.

While updating the aforementioned book, I’ve come across a handful of such bakeries in southern Alberta, far from the metropolitan food scene. Why, I’m not sure, other than owners willing to put in the long, early-morning hours that a well-rounded bakery demands. Here are some of the brightest examples, starting with the smallest centres.

The Heart of Bragg Creek

Bragg Creek is a hamlet of about 600 people, albeit on the doorstep of a million-plus Calgarians looking for somewhere to go on weekends. The Heart of Bragg Creek is a yoga centre that also runs a café. I didn’t see any loaves of bread during a recent visit, but the baked goods were exceptional, including a berry crumble bar with lots of seeds, which I messily tackled without a fork. This is proof that healthy can also be delicious.

Homestead Bakeshop, Fort Macleod, population 3,000

A decade ago, this historic brick-walled spot was the home of a European bakery that made delectable butterhorns. Fast forward to today, and there are still great butterhorns but now being produced by the talented Kimberly Vanden Broek and Julena Schipper, both graduates of the SAIT baking and pastry arts program.

The apple rosemary sourdough bread, soft and chewy, is to die for, as are the almond croissants and the fruit turnovers and danishes. The artisan, sourdough bread roster also includes an oat porridge loaf and one with sprouted grains.

Uprising Bake Shop, fairly recently opened in Canmore (population 17,000) and Banff (8,200)

By mistake, I order the large size of the focaccia and cheese bread. No matter. I destroy the whole beast while driving through Banff townsite, each tangled bite inspiring another until there’s nothing left but bread crumbs embedded in the upholstery.

Seeing as how I can pick up these hand-crafted breads and other baked treats in either mountain town, I’m strongly opting for the Canmore location. That’s because (rant alert), Banff has recently implemented a paid parking policy so byzantine for visitors that I’m questioning my need to ever go into the town again.

French 50 Bakery, Okotoks, population 32,000

French 50 is essentially a pop-up bakery—on the patio of a historic, pressed-tin building—open only on Saturdays for in-person shopping or online pickups. There are breads that are naturally fermented and cold proofed as well as treats like cinnamon brioche rolls and three-cheddar scones. But my eyes and tastebuds are drawn to a berry cross of a croissant and muffin, called a cruffin. Bliss ensues.

The Heart of Bragg Creek
12 Balsam Avenue, Bragg Creek
Weekdays 9 am-4 pm, weekends 9 am-5 pm
403-813-8465

Homestead Bakeshop
228 24 Street, Fort Macleod
Monday to Saturday opens at 7 am. Closed Sunday
403-553-4328

The Uprising Craft Bakery
735 9 Street, Canmore and 202 Banff Avenue, Banff
Monday to Thursday 8 am-4 pm, Friday to Sunday 7 am-7 pm

French 50 Bakery
52 North Railway Street, Okotoks
Saturdays only 8 am-1 pm
587-429-5906

Pulling into Lake Louise for a post-backpack bite to eat on Monday of the recent August long weekend, I was bracing for lineups—on the roads and in the restaurants. But what we instead encountered was a bit of an eerie ghost town, especially in the hamlet’s eateries.

First stop was the Lake Louise Hostel for a burger and beer at the Bill Peyto Café. Nope. Closed.

Second stop the Post Hotel’s basement pub, the Outpost. Also closed, until further notice. On a summer long weekend!

Last shot, the Lake Louise Inn, where for once I was happy to see a wee early-dinner lineup. What’s going on? I asked our upstairs server.

“Staff shortages,” she said. Thanks to a pandemic that kept nearly all Alberta restaurants closed or relegated to takeout, all those Aussies that wait on tables are still locked out of the country. Even the Lake Louise Inn was half staffed this holiday Monday and dealing with all the hungry diners that couldn’t get into the hostel or the Outpost.

After gorging on pizza, we were happy to leave a generous tip.

Timber Wolf Cafe, Lake Louise Inn
210 Village Road, Lake Louise
Tuesday to Saturday 6 pm-11 pm. Closed Sunday and Monday
403-522-5419

Time to dodge some smoke and do some hiking, eating and driving on a road trip along the Crowsnest Highway (3) in south-central B.C. Here are some images.

I know, at a place called Meat & Bread, you should be ordering meat. But all the delicious meat sandwiches on offer at this downtown Calgary location—crackling porchetta, meatball, corn beef and chicken—weigh in at about $12.50.

For the quality and quantity, it’s still a great deal, at one of my favourite sandwich shops in Calgary, located in the historic Grain Exchange Building. But for the purpose of this series—Calgary lunch for less than $10—I have to go for the one vegetarian option on the menu, an eggplant Parmesan sandwich, for $9.

It features roasted, organic eggplant, kale, marinara sauce and Parmesan aioli, all crammed into a fresh ciabatta bun. Even if you’re not normally a fan of eggplant and kale, you should like this soft, flavourful blend. You can add a dip, such as a habanero cilantro cream, for $1.50, but it’s not essential and does push the tab over $10.

The eggplant sandwich makes for a light lunch, which if you’re famished, can be complemented with a fine soup or salad, but again it adds $5 to the cost.

Meat & Bread
821 1 Street SW, Calgary
Weekdays 11 am-4 pm. Closed weekends
403-764-6225